Got this from another forum and thought I'd share it with you guys even if you have heard about it already, definitely check into it especially if you live in the U.S.

I personally think this is dumbest move to make in order to tackle piracy, because it's going to cause so much controversy as they're going to go after the wrong people regardless of whether they created the pirated material in the first place, which is who they should be after. I admit I have downloaded stuff off the internet but who hasn't? Reason why I choose to is not because I don't like buying stuff, it's the fact that the majority of it is outside of my country where I can't get a hold of it and I don't have the money to grab out of my ass to pay for all of it. Every once in awhile I tend to purchase a few cds here and there since I like to collect stuff. I just don't see how a person like me is causing the downfall for the industry >.<

It's also an invasion of privacy which really pisses me off that they can do this if this passes. Feel free to speak on this issue and share.

Quote:

In a bid to avoid the lowest presidential approval rating in 70 years*, President Bush signed the PRO-IP Act into law today. While not quite on par with, say, an ultimate solution to the world economic crisis, the law will create new jobs, er, one new job: The Intellectual Property Czar.

Backed by the RIAA and MPAA, the PRO-IP Act has drawn criticism for its potential for extreme punishment. In its proposed state, the act could grant the government permission to seize all computers and compatible devices from a home if a single, pirated MP3 was discovered on one of the machines. So, about that approval rating ...

Hm... I think "low piracy" became already some kind of "standard". Well, I don't talk about these hardcore media pirates with TBs of data at home. More about casual computer users.
I personally buy what I'm able to buy and really wan't to buy. I import what I'm able to import. Of course, money is limited but I can also wait a bit and save some money up.
Anyway... there are CDs (mostly doujins) I'll never be able to own physically, because there's no way for me to target/purchase them. In such cases, I have to be satisfied with a lossy copy on my HDD.
When it comes to regular VGM, I couldn't imagine to call myself a fan/lover without spending money. Let's take Uematsu as an example. He's such a genius. A little bit of money is the smallest token of gratitude he deserves for what he has brought to us. I would have seriously paid 200€ for the FFVII OST, if I had to, because this music is priceless.
The USA is just the detonator of this phenomenon. Our digital world will be observed more and more. I believe we'll encounter a comparable situation very soon here in europe (or in my case germany).

Let's take Uematsu as an example. He's such a genius. A little bit of money is the smallest token of gratitude he deserves for what he has brought to us. I would have seriously paid 200€ for the FFVII OST, if I had to, because this music is priceless.

Probably misunderstood that part, but if you buy a soundtrack, the composer rarely gets anything. Unless he has the rights for the music, which is sadly rare in VGM-business.

Also, about that law, I just want to say "Lol you crazy americans". But then, laws like that are bit hard to keep going.